Embodied Energy and CO<sub>2</sub> Analyses of Mud-brick and Cement-block Houses
In building projects, the extraction of vast quantities of materials is too common. The extraction of materials and the erection of buildings consume embodied energy and emit carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) that impact negatively on the environment. Therefore it is necessary to consider...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AIMS Press
2014-01-01
|
| Series: | AIMS Energy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.aimspress.com/energy/article/8/fulltext.html |
| _version_ | 1828752087241981952 |
|---|---|
| author | Abanda F.Henry Nkeng G.Elambo Tah J.H.M. Ohandja E.N.Fabrice Manjia M.Blanche |
| author_facet | Abanda F.Henry Nkeng G.Elambo Tah J.H.M. Ohandja E.N.Fabrice Manjia M.Blanche |
| author_sort | Abanda F.Henry |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In building projects, the extraction of vast quantities of materials is too common. The extraction of materials and the erection of buildings consume embodied energy and emit carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) that impact negatively on the environment. Therefore it is necessary to consider embodied energy and CO<sub>2</sub> amongst other factors in selecting building materials for use in building projects. In most developing countries, building environmental performance analysis has yet to gain interest from the construction community. However, with recent increase in sustainability awareness, both developed and developing nations have engaged in efforts to tackle this challenge. Embodied energy and CO<sub>2</sub> are among the leading parameters in assessing environmental building performance. In Cameroon, studies about the assessment of embodied energy and CO<sub>2</sub> of building projects are scarce. Hence, professionals find it difficult to make alternative choices for building materials to use in their different building projects. This study uses a detailed process analysis approach supported by two popular housing types in Cameroon (mud-brick and cement-block houses) to assess the embodied energy and CO<sub>2</sub> impacts from building materials. The emerging Building Information Modelling (BIM) tool was used to validate the computational results of the process analysis method. The findings revealed the embodied energy and CO<sub>2</sub> for the mud-brick houses are 137934.91 MJ (2007.8 MJ/m<sup>2</sup>) and 15665.56 Kg CO<sub>2 </sub>(228.03 Kg CO<sub>2</sub>/m<sup>2</sup>); the cement-block houses are 292326.81 MJ (3065.51 MJ/m<sup>2</sup>) and 37829.19 Kg CO<sub>2 </sub>(396.7 Kg CO<sub>2</sub>/m<sup>2</sup>) respectively. Thus, the cement-block house expends at least 1.5 times more embodied energy and emits at least 1.7 times more embodied CO<sub>2</sub> than mud-brick house. Although these findings cannot be generalized, they nonetheless indicate the importance of considering embodied energy and CO<sub>2</sub> in making alternative choices for use in different building projects. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T21:03:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cc5d4b32efd147a9bdb8e71acdca76ca |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2333-8334 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T21:03:25Z |
| publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
| publisher | AIMS Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | AIMS Energy |
| spelling | doaj.art-cc5d4b32efd147a9bdb8e71acdca76ca2022-12-22T01:33:43ZengAIMS PressAIMS Energy2333-83342014-01-0121184010.3934/energy.2014.1.1820140102Embodied Energy and CO<sub>2</sub> Analyses of Mud-brick and Cement-block HousesAbanda F.Henry0Nkeng G.Elambo1Tah J.H.M.2Ohandja E.N.Fabrice3Manjia M.Blanche4Department of Real Estate and Construction, Faculty of Technology, Design and Environment Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UKEcole Nationale Supérieure des Travaux Publics, B.P 510, Yaoundé, CamerounDepartment of Real Estate and Construction, Faculty of Technology, Design and Environment Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UKEcole Nationale Supérieure des Travaux Publics, B.P 510, Yaoundé, CamerounDepartment of Civil Engineering and Urban Planning, National Advanced School of Engineering, University of Yaoundé I, CamerooIn building projects, the extraction of vast quantities of materials is too common. The extraction of materials and the erection of buildings consume embodied energy and emit carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) that impact negatively on the environment. Therefore it is necessary to consider embodied energy and CO<sub>2</sub> amongst other factors in selecting building materials for use in building projects. In most developing countries, building environmental performance analysis has yet to gain interest from the construction community. However, with recent increase in sustainability awareness, both developed and developing nations have engaged in efforts to tackle this challenge. Embodied energy and CO<sub>2</sub> are among the leading parameters in assessing environmental building performance. In Cameroon, studies about the assessment of embodied energy and CO<sub>2</sub> of building projects are scarce. Hence, professionals find it difficult to make alternative choices for building materials to use in their different building projects. This study uses a detailed process analysis approach supported by two popular housing types in Cameroon (mud-brick and cement-block houses) to assess the embodied energy and CO<sub>2</sub> impacts from building materials. The emerging Building Information Modelling (BIM) tool was used to validate the computational results of the process analysis method. The findings revealed the embodied energy and CO<sub>2</sub> for the mud-brick houses are 137934.91 MJ (2007.8 MJ/m<sup>2</sup>) and 15665.56 Kg CO<sub>2 </sub>(228.03 Kg CO<sub>2</sub>/m<sup>2</sup>); the cement-block houses are 292326.81 MJ (3065.51 MJ/m<sup>2</sup>) and 37829.19 Kg CO<sub>2 </sub>(396.7 Kg CO<sub>2</sub>/m<sup>2</sup>) respectively. Thus, the cement-block house expends at least 1.5 times more embodied energy and emits at least 1.7 times more embodied CO<sub>2</sub> than mud-brick house. Although these findings cannot be generalized, they nonetheless indicate the importance of considering embodied energy and CO<sub>2</sub> in making alternative choices for use in different building projects.http://www.aimspress.com/energy/article/8/fulltext.htmlBIMCameroonembodied energyembodied CO<sub>2</sub>Mud-brick house |
| spellingShingle | Abanda F.Henry Nkeng G.Elambo Tah J.H.M. Ohandja E.N.Fabrice Manjia M.Blanche Embodied Energy and CO<sub>2</sub> Analyses of Mud-brick and Cement-block Houses AIMS Energy BIM Cameroon embodied energy embodied CO<sub>2</sub> Mud-brick house |
| title | Embodied Energy and CO<sub>2</sub> Analyses of Mud-brick and Cement-block Houses |
| title_full | Embodied Energy and CO<sub>2</sub> Analyses of Mud-brick and Cement-block Houses |
| title_fullStr | Embodied Energy and CO<sub>2</sub> Analyses of Mud-brick and Cement-block Houses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Embodied Energy and CO<sub>2</sub> Analyses of Mud-brick and Cement-block Houses |
| title_short | Embodied Energy and CO<sub>2</sub> Analyses of Mud-brick and Cement-block Houses |
| title_sort | embodied energy and co sub 2 sub analyses of mud brick and cement block houses |
| topic | BIM Cameroon embodied energy embodied CO<sub>2</sub> Mud-brick house |
| url | http://www.aimspress.com/energy/article/8/fulltext.html |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT abandafhenry embodiedenergyandcosub2subanalysesofmudbrickandcementblockhouses AT nkenggelambo embodiedenergyandcosub2subanalysesofmudbrickandcementblockhouses AT tahjhm embodiedenergyandcosub2subanalysesofmudbrickandcementblockhouses AT ohandjaenfabrice embodiedenergyandcosub2subanalysesofmudbrickandcementblockhouses AT manjiamblanche embodiedenergyandcosub2subanalysesofmudbrickandcementblockhouses |